Beloved Finale | Winter by Marissa Meyer

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mark her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer's national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.

There may be slight spoilers for those who have not read the previous books in the series (Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress).

Cinder and her friends are back in this superb finale. This time, she is taking down the queen once and for all, placing the rightful heir on the throne (which just so happens to be Cinder, herself). However, she cannot do this alone. By her side, her whole crew is back and no sooner does the first page end, do they put their plan into motion.

The Lunar Chronicles is Back!

Can you believe this is the fourth and final book of the series? I have a thing about series finales. In that, I never seem to finish series because reading that last book means it’s over. You will never get that first impression experience again because the series is read and complete. Now that I have finished the Lunar Chronicles, it does feel final. It’s sad. However, no one could forget about Stars Above, a collection of stories during the Lunar Chronicles. So, technically, I still have more to look forward to.

Marissa Meyer wastes no time and literally puts us right back where we left off. It took a few pages to actually remember where we left off, but after figuring out where everyone was and what was going on (it’s been over a year or so since I read Cress), I was swiftly brought into the swing of things. And then I couldn’t stop.

Winter is nonstop action from start to finish. I had trouble putting the book down for things I needed to get done, such as eat and sleep. 😄

It’s fantastic to be back into Meyer’s world. It is like returning home from a long time away, Winter presents the same quirky and great characters we all know and love (who else loves Thorne?).

Injustice for Iko

In Cinder, Iko was my favorite. Cinder was the type of character that I didn’t warm up to until later in the series. However, Iko really shined in the first book. So, in Winter, when literally every other character gets to put In A Relationship on their profile on Facebook, I couldn’t help but see the injustice that was dished out here. Where is the person for Iko?

It is very clear from the beginning who is going to end up with whom. However, the romance is cut short, in Winter, due to the circumstances of the characters and the constant action—they’ve got a whole planet to take over, after all.

There is so much precious character development in the works. It is lovely and just makes me so happy. The action of Winter really forces the characters into positions, pushing them to make choices that you wouldn’t expect them to make.

Snow White and There Are No Seven Dwarfs

The Lunar Chronicles is a gorgeous series of complex fairytale retellings. This time, Marissa Meyer takes on Snow White, twisting the happy fairytale to fit around the plot of the series.

It is fantastically interwoven into this clever plot that has been building since book one. Every book has gotten a little closer to the final goal. With any series ending, it is always sad to see it end—the feeling is bittersweet. However, it is undeniably sweet when all the books come together; the four retellings match like puzzle pieces.

A Retelling Which is Not a Retelling

This book may be titled Winter, a sure sign it will be about a character named Winter, however, that is not entirely the case. Where each book prior to Winter has been focused on the character each was titled after (Cinder was about Cinder, Scarlet was about Scarlet and Cress about Cress), Winter is more of a continuation of the series.

In a way, Winter plays two paths. The one path is the Snow White retelling and the other is the series finale. However, Winter was such a strange and delightful character that instead of focusing so much on Cinder’s mission, I would have loved to see more of Winter and her perspective on things.

Winter is My Best Friend

Winter is extremely similar to Luna Lovegood.

Thorne is my favorite character in serving out some much-needed comedic relief. He is hilarious and he could be dying but you will still smile because he cracked a joke. Winter is a different type of comedic relief, in that if she were real, she would be your best friend.

Similar to Iko, Winter is written in a way that makes you see her as real. She jumps out of the pages—it’s as if she is sitting next to you as you read.

Abrupt Plot Holes

There was absolutely no confusion in jumping from one perspective to the next. That very style is what kept the plot flowing so well. However, there is a hiccup in the structure of the plot. It is both abrupt and unexplained.

Without giving any spoilers away, there just seems to be a few questions left unanswered. It comes in the form of a time gap which leaves the plot with some holes.

Satisfying Finale

The climax was tremendously stressful (but, you know, in a good way). You will not be able to look away, already too invested into the characters and the world which Meyer has built. It will take your breath away and may stab you several times.

As an end to a series, I am most happy with the results. It is not unrealistically all butterflies and flowers and for that I am grateful. For the Lunar Chronicles to be left on a note which is too perfect would be worrisome. Winter ends on a resounding note, however; it is a good ending. It is satisfying.

Overall

Winter may not have been the best out of the four novels. However, with fantastic characters and an unforgettable climax, Winter brings the Lunar Chronicles to a close, a finale the readers will be talking about for a long time.

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I'm Jeanna!

I love books, coffee, cute planners, blogging, and everything in between. I don't want you to miss out on the fantastic books out there, which is why I talk about books and write reviews. My reviews may include lame jokes and a side of sass, that make you feel like you are sitting down with an good, old friend for coffee. So grab a seat and let's get chatting.